I always preface these posts with the note that you never want to see someone lose their job, but in certain circumstances it's warranted. After what one could describe as the worst multiple game announcing performance, Chip Caray has been let go by Turner Sports. Via the NY Times....

Chip Caray’s tenure as TBS’s lead major league baseball announcer ended Monday when he and the cable network agreed to part ways.

Caray’s high-volume style was mixed with a penchant for bad play calls, embellishments and factual errors. His best known incident occurred during the American League Central Division tie breaker between the Twins and the Tigers in October. He called an obvious lineout this way: “Line drive. Base hit. Caught out there. The runner tags. Throw to the plate. On target. And in time! A double play!”

In a memo sent to company employees, David Levy, the president of Turner Sports, wrote on Monday: “Since the end of this year’s M.L.B. playoffs, we’ve had several discussions with Chip Caray regarding 2010 and beyond. Both sides have agreed that now is the right time for Turner Sports and Chip to move ahead on different paths.”

Well all's well that ends well, right? Hopefully Chip can hop on somewhere and work on whatever has been plaguing him the past few years. He reminds of that period of time when Chuck Knoblauch couldn't throw to first from second.

Sorry, I know that was a cheesy title but it had to be done. With the announcement today that NBC isn't going to be flexing the Week 14 Eagles-Giants game, that just about solidifies the fact that not a single game will be flexed into Sunday Night this season. Well outside of the open slot in Week 17. Here's a look at the rest of the schedule....

It seems like just yesterday that Tom Brady completely shunned MNF sideline reporter Suzy Kolber, but it actually took place all the way back in Week One. The Patriots haven't back since then, but Suzy remembers the dis and plans on hunting the QB down following tonight's game against the Saints. Via The Huddle....

Brady hastily tried to dodge an on-field interview with Kolber after a Week 1 win against the Bills. A persistent Kolber ran with Brady off the field and finally cajoled him into answering a few questions.

Now with the Patriots due back on MNF again, Kolber is set for another postgame meeting. ESPN's Kenny Mayne jokingly had Kolber training with Tyson Gay, whose 9.69 100-meter dash is a U.S. record.

Kolber, in ESPN's Mayne Event this week, playfully set in a sprinter's starting block and said:

"I'm getting you this time, Brady."

Well that's good. I think she got him last time actually, but it's good that she can joke about it. Now the question is whether the Pats will win or not, so she has the opportunity.

Everyone knows the famous Herman Edwards quote, "you play to win the game," including Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels. Josh, however, decided to update it for live television with just a bit of cursing last night (very NSFW)....

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Here is your Week Twelve announcing schedule brought to you by SI's Cheerleader of the Week. This week's cheerleader is Katelynn from the University of Oregon. Her favorite movie is Love and Basketball, and she thinks she's lame for not being on Twitter (you're not Katelynn....you're not). Ready??? OKAY!!!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Last week, all the buzz was the alleged run-in between Marv Albert and rapper 50 Cent. There were reports of a verbal confrontation and some even said that there was a potential punch thrown in the fracas. Well over the weekend, Marv came out and said that not only was the punch a fabrication, the whole incident was. Via USA Today....

At issue is what happened when Albert last week was getting set to appear on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. As he was walking backstage to his dressing room he "heard something" that he thought were people "kidding around." The raised voices, he thinks, came from someone with rapper 50 Cent— another Kimmel guest — wanting to use a phone in Albert's room. "But I didn't even see the guys and don't even think there was a scuffle."

Still, the diminutive TNT NBA announcer says he and friends and family found various online accounts of "stuff that never happened" — included that he and 50 Cent had a fight. "I kept reading about new things that never happened. Maybe it will keep going until Jimmy Kimmel gets punched."

Well that solves that. It seemed a little far fetched, but crazier things have happened. I'm just happy that we don't have to worry about Albert being gunned down in Vegas after a boxing match. Whew.

3. "They do not bring the field goal unit out. It would be about a 65 yarder"- Dave Pasch4. "I bet the blimp didn't have any traffic."- Barry Tomkins

5. "It's a multiple Bush Push" -Gary Danielson6. "Percy Harvin is doing well in the frozen tundra or near the frozen tundra of Green Bay in Minnesota"- Verne Lundquist7. "Cinderella just turned into a pumpkin."- Matt Millen

8. "The most celebrated concussion of the 2009 season" -Verne Lundquist

This is FOX's last year putting on the all of the BCS Bowl Games, other than the Rose Bowl on ABC (and the Championship Game this year), and they released the names of the individuals calling the games in January. Both FOX has decided to give the booth to their NFL announcing teams, while the Rose Bowl and Championship Game will feature the only true College announcing team of Musburger and Herbstreit, on ABC. Here's your list....

Well there's a title I never thought I'd write. Apparently there was a bit of a scuffle at the Jimmy Kimmel Show that included Marv Albert versus 50 Cent and his posse. Via the LA Times....

As Albert arrived, with an entourage of one, TNT public relations specialist Jeff Pomeroy, there was a sudden scuffle when a multitude of 50 Cent protectors seemed unfamiliar with Albert. There was shouting ("It's Marv Albert," yelled a Kimmel show guard, a pronouncement that seemed to have no effect on the 50 Cent phalanx.) There were obscenities. A fist or two flying. A "Don't you put your hands on me" pronouncement.

And finally Albert made it to his waiting room, relatively unruffled but slightly puzzled. "Did you see that?" Albert said. "I thought they were kidding, but then I realized they weren't."

I thought this was a joke at first, or a PR stunt, but it actually isn't. How someone couldn't recognize Marv Albert is beyond me, but furthermore, how someone could want to rough up a 68 year old man is beyond me. You are dead to me 50 Cent! Actually that took place after his second album dropped....soooo you're doubly dead to me!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Here is your Week Twelve announcing schedule brought to you by SI's Cheerleader of the Week. This week's cheerleader is Chelsie from Minnesota. Her favorite movie is Dumb and Dumber, and she considers herself a perfectionist. Ready??? OKAY!!!

There are few things that are certain in this world, with the most famous two being death and taxes. Anything in Sports doesn't fall into that category because when the stars align just right, something like the "Miracle On Ice" can take place. Well, Terry Bradshaw didn't seem to think that was the case, and it was humanly impossible for the Bengals to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh this last Sunday. How sure was he? Well let's go back and take a look....

Oops. I think it's safe to say that the majority of Football fans thought that the Steelers would win, but it's not like the Bengals are the 1976 Buccaneers. You can probably expect an apology from Terry on Sunday, Cincinnati.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Our first full week of College Basketball is upon us, and you know what that means right? We get a full 24-hours of it, starting tonight! Here's your schedule for the full week, with the usual holes that will fill as the info comes available....

I honestly thought that Jon Gruden would stay with MNF for one year, and then roll out to a team in need of a head coach (*ahem* Redskins!), but that's definitely not the case. Gruden has signed a multi-year deal to stay with the network....

Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden, who joined ESPN in May as a Monday Night Football analyst, has agreed to an exclusive multi-year agreement with the company. Gruden has made a commitment to remain with ESPN.

In addition to his MNF role alongside play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski, Gruden will appear on ESPN’s NFL Draft and Super Bowl week coverage, among other platforms, and he will call the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl in South Florida on January 31, 2010. Gruden will serve as an analyst for ESPN Radio’s 2010 Rose Bowl and Bowl Championship Series (BCS) title game broadcasts, where he will team with Tirico, and he will be part of SportsCenter coverage leading up to the ESPN on ABC telecasts of both games.

"Working with Mike, Jaws and our entire Monday Night Football team is the most fun I have had in years, and I am fired up to make this long-term commitment to ESPN," said Gruden. “Monday Night Football is special and I look forward to remaining a part of it and continuing to call these great games.”

While there's no mention of a "coaching clause", there's no reason to believe he'd re-sign if he wanted to immediately return to coaching. I'm still conflicted on how I feel about him as an announcer, but the move makes sense for ESPN. Even though there are times when he goes overboard with emotion and analogies, he's still better than Kornheiser.

See this is why I love AA readers (most of the time). I was actually watching the CBS Halftime Show live, but completely missed Dan Marino dropping an S-Bomb during a Dolphins highlight. Listen closely around the :13 second mark (obviously NSFW)....

Saturday, November 14, 2009

I'll be around for a half day today, but that shouldn't stop you from submitting quotes. We're reaching the end of the line, and Pammy looks to have this one in the bag. Who will be the one to challenge her?

Friday, November 13, 2009

1. "To help block the sun from your eyes, close one eye and turn your head, your nose will help block the sun."- Glen Mason

2. "If you're home and the crowd goes crazy you know something good's happening. And if they go oohhhhhhhh, you know, they give you one of those sad ones. You know something, not good for your team has happened."- Bob Griese

3. "These turnovers are like a bug....H1N1 here!" - Ron Thulin4. "You weren't even around in '66, you just a twinkle in your dad's eye back then."- Wayne Larrivee"Yeah...I think I was swimming around somewhere."- Chris Martin

5. "TD pass against outstanding Notre Dame" - Tom Hammond after and option team (Navy) throws a 56 yd TD pass against the Irish6. "There was no play on the play!"- Gary Danielson7. “See that block right there? That was a pancake. Get the syrup and bring the grits because he’s on the ground.” – Ray Bentley

8. “We hope everything is ok for Jahvid...we have had the pleasure of doing him.”- Ron Franklin

9. "Some of you are wondering what is a Bearcat. I want you to think Big Foot." - Brent Musburger

Brent Musburger got to do to Colin Cowherd, what thousands around the country want to do to the ESPN Radio host. What's that you ask? Well, he got to punch him in the gut. Before you get all happy, he was wearing protection and it's part of a running gag on ESPN's Sports Nation. Via OTB....

While that wasn't that hard of a punch, I think the sneakiness of it caught Cowherd off guard. Hopefully they can get someone on that really can't stand him, to do some real damage.